Tanaro Cycleway
T04
Level of difficulty
Type
Duration
2 hours 45 minutes
one way
STARTING POINT
Vittorio Veneto Square
Municipality of departure
Garessio
Starting fee
580 m
POINT OF ARRIVAL
Location Ponte di Nava
Municipality of arrival
Ormea
Arrival fee
864 m
Length of the route
19.6 km
one way
MAXIMUM QUOTE.
864 m
Minimum fee
580 m
Uphill elevation gain
352 m
Downhill gradient
352 m
Charging column
Present
It can be found at Locanda Ponte Rosa in Garessio (Via Fasiani 1, phone 388.1588757) and at Bar Stazione in Ormea (Viale Cagna 84, phone 0174.391011).
THE PATH.
The route begins in the town of Garessio and, in particular, in Vittorio Veneto Square, located on the hydrographic right of the Tanaro River in the direction of the historic town center, not surprisingly included among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.
Skirting the famous mineral water plant, the trail gradually bends eastward and becomes a true greenway that runs alongside the waterway tickling chestnut and beech forests.
Leaving the built-up area, we pass the hamlet of Trappa (once famous for its cotton mill) and ascend the valley corridor in a southwesterly direction, skirting the fascinating Barchi Tower.
Entering the administrative boundaries of the municipality of Ormea, the route continues slightly uphill to the threshold of the historic center, which is characterized by a heart-shaped layout and full of historical points of interest such as the parish church of San Martino.
Leaving the village of Ormea on the right, we continue on the itinerary, always slightly uphill, which follows the course of the Tanaro River and reaches Ponte di Nava, the end point of the route, a regional border town and the gateway to the southern appendix of the Marguareis Nature Park, now administered by the Maritime Alps Protected Areas Management Authority.
LOCATIONS AND POINTS OF INTEREST
Historic center of Garessio
Not coincidentally included among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, the historic core of Garessio retains a rare and fascinating architectural imprint distinguished by the 17th-century Town Hall, the precious little square of San Giovanni, considered among the most beautiful in Piedmont, and the church of Santa Maria Extra Moenia, the oldest in Garessio, with its elegant Romanesque-Gothic bell tower dating from 1448.
Tower of Barchi
Built between the end of the eighth and the beginning of the ninth century as an anti-Saracen function and raised on a rocky spur jutting out into the valley, the cylindrical-shaped tower was made of local stone bound with lime and measures, today, nine meters high by about three meters in diameter. Trekking enthusiasts can reach it by means of an equipped trail that begins right near Barchi.
Parish Church of St. Martin
Located on the eastern edge of the historic center and dedicated to the patron saint of Ormea, the parish church dates from the 14th century and consists of three different naves. Custodian of precious frescoes dating from 1394 and a characteristic Romanesque bell tower also from the 14th century, it also preserves a monumental marble high altar.
Marguareis Nature Park
Formerly known as the Alta Valle Pesio e Tanaro Nature Park, the Marguareis Park now extends over the northern and southern slopes of the massif of the same name, encompassing part of the municipalities of Ormea and Briga Alta, which have always been distinguished by high rates of floristic and faunal biodiversity and geological uniqueness (karstification) with few equals in the entire western Alps.
Local Specialties
Garessio chestnut: Inextricably linked to the natural environments surrounding Garessio, the Garessio chestnut has over the years been awarded the Denominazione Comunale d'Origine and is famous for its sweetness and delicacy. Celebrated each year with a festival of the same name in the middle two weeks of October, it is often used in cooking as a dry product with milk or desserts.
Ormea: similarly processed to the more famous Raschera PDO, Ormea is a raw milk cheese made from cow's and goat's milk in varying proportions according to availability, produced on the pastures surrounding Ormea above an altitude of 900 meters. Marketed starting in September, it retains two distinct versions: fresh, with tender paste without holes, and ripened with a stronger, spicier taste.
Download gps coordinates of the route
All Mongibike tracks are also available on Tabui
